The Edge
by cheerthis95
Summary: Dominic Toretto is in prison and the one person who may be able to change his outlook on life has just walked in. What ties to his past does she have?
1. Chapter 1

-1 Author's note: I am a little rusty these days and this is my first writing I have done in a long time. I am anxious to hear some feedback and please be honest! Thanks, Cheer!

Chapter 1 The interview

Jayzen Parker looked around the jail cell she was currently waiting to 'talk to' a famous local legend that she had heard about. She twirled her long blonde curl out of sheer habit in nervousness. The jail setting was not a scene she liked, no matter how famous or great this person may be.

"You waitin on me?" A clean shaven, buff built guy sat down on the chair backwards, straddling it.

"Yes." She answered him, her icy blue eyes holding his gaze as to not let him know or this jail cell was intimidating her. "I'm Jayzen." She straightened up in her seat, pulling at her shirt to make sure she wasn't showing her stomach.

"Okay. And?" The guy asked, almost being cocky. She gave his this agitated "I can't believe you" kind of look. "What? _You_ set this meeting up with me, remember?" He cocked an eyebrow and said with a small hint of a grin. She couldn't argue with that statement, she reasoned.

""Well, I'm .." She coughed awkwardly. "I'm in collage and I'm supposed to be doing a paper on inmates and I just …I just wanted to ask some questions." She said, her nerves getting the best of her. She knew Dominic Toretto and his reputation and him being right in front of her was quite intimidating.

"Collage, huh? Why do I get the feeling it's not really collage?" He asked, scratching his chin and sitting back, staring her down. He folded his arms and waited for her response. The girl's fair completion cheeks were now a blushed red.

"Why is it you're interviewing me when I sat up this meeting?" She asked, gaining her composure and firing his words back at him. He merely shrugged.

"Boy, I bet you are a hard one to handle." He laughed lightly, his heart shooting a short pang through his body. Saying that brought back the memories of the first time he had said that to his beloved Letty, one of the first times he had met her, back in their teenage years.

"Why are you here in jail and how long before you are released?" Jayzen started, her pen in hand and ready to write. Her thin wire framed glasses intrigued Dominic and again he felt guilty. She looked like she was going to write down his every word and it had been so long since anyone had hung on to his every word.

"See, there's a thing or two about me you should know. Number one, I don't believe in getting specific. I only agreed to this meeting so you would quit bugging the warden and the warden would quit bugging me.: Dominic shook his head, his superior ness and stubbornness coming out in him as it did quite often.

"Bugging the warden? I only asked him eight times." Jayzen batted her eyes innocently.

"Only." Dominic scoffed while rolling his eyes. "And why me? There's tons of other hardened criminals out there." He nodded his head back to the sliding iron gate that kept him and his freedom separated.

"You sounded intriguing." Jayzen said, her blue eyes again meeting his and this time intimidating him.

"Yeah, I bet. You trying to get into street racing and you want the former king of the streets to hook you up with some names?" He asked, folding his arms, staring her down to see if that was the case. He still didn't want to trust her, although she seemed like the most innocent female he had ever met.

"Yeah, I'm really street racing material." She rolled her eyes, annoyed like no other now. "Wow, all this time in prison and I see it hasn't changed your ego one bit." She lashed out at him. He covered his heart, acting hurt.

"Ouch." He replied. This didn't phase her. She was writing on her notebook feverishly.

"So, that answers my first question." She said, ignoring his bitterness. Dominic sighed. He hated anything to do with the past and this 'interview' wasn't helping him ignore the memories or the blame for all the mistakes he had made. He spent every waking moment trying to forget about it all. He looked at the clock, this meeting with this pretty girl not so enjoyable anymore. He had enjoyed knowing he still had the ability to flirt with a girl, as it had been a eleven months since he had even seen a real girl.

"Is that all? Can I go?" He asked sarcastically, making her face turn red with irritation.

"How long until you're out?" She asked, chewing on the end of her pen.

"One more month. Moral of the story, don't get caught" Dominic sighed, his voice deep and raspy with his lecture tone coming out.

"So, I see you don't regret what you did." Jayzen raised a curious eyebrow.

"I don't regret racing. Racing to me is like the Olympics to someone else. I love to race. It's in my blood. It's all the bullshit in between that sucks." He sighed, going off for a second, trying to put meaning and reasoning into the answer he was giving her.

"But.." She inserted for him, knowing it was coming. This made him snap back into reality and making him feel sick to his stomach.

"But, you're not a counselor and I don't want to discuss this anymore." He said gruffly, realizing it was a little too gruff. This wasn't her fault, he reasoned. He softened his voice. "I'm sorry. Yes, there are lots of things I regret. Racing wasn't the reason I'm here, let's just leave it at that." He ran a hand over his bald head, almost at a loss of words to explain it to someone who was so naïve.

"Should I go now?" She asked, her voice soft, picking up on the fact she was causing him pain. She could see it in his dark eyes.

"No, ask the other questions. I can't be the reason you flunk this class." Dominic gave a half grin, noting how much true compassion she genuinely seemed to have.

"Is prison hard? Is there lots of fights?" She asked, her eyes big with expression. These questions were questions she had always wanted to know on a general basis.

"Nah. I'm a thug from the streets so my back is covered." Dominic joked, making her smile and sort of giggle.

"Good to know people. I'll remember that one." She nodded, seriously writing it down and making Dominic laugh.

"Yeah. You could say that. So, what about you? You got any family? What you do your parents think of you visiting a place like this?" He asked, his curiosity getting the best of him. He enjoyed flipping the script on people.

"It's not like I'm a kid. I'm 24. And I don't have a family. Not that I need one." She replied defensively and Dominic mentally noted that he had struck a nerve with her.

"Okay, my apology." He gave her his famous heart warming smile and could see he was instantly forgiven. "What else do you want to know?" He asked, his hand clasped on the table in a more relaxed fashion now.

So, after you and your crew were let go by a cop, what happened?" She asked, her body language almost looking nervous to ask.

"Well, Jesse, was in the hospital. He's the brains of my crew…Vince and Leon they are doing just fine. Letty, she was my soon to be wife…" He stopped for a moment, taking a deep breath. He knew he had to get on with his life, but it was too hard. He took a deep breath. "She died shortly after the crash. And then my sister, Mia, well she moved. She won't talk to me. She was heartbroken by Letty's death, pissed at me, and angered by the guy that ruined it all for us." Dominic sighed, his face suddenly looking old with all the burdens in his life that his choices has caused. He looked down. "I can't say I blame her." He shrugged, almost like he was shrugging his thoughts off.

"That's sad. You gonna make things right with her when you get out?" Jayzen asked, crossing her legs and getting a bit more comfortable.

"I'm not sure." He answered honestly. "I have a month till I'm out of here. I thought I was going to until they transferred me here to Arizona. I'm sure they wanted me as far away from the racing scene as possible. I don't know if I can make myself go back or not." He said, still not looking up and answering truthfully.

"Yeah. I an see how that would be hard." Jayzen said, her eyes looking sad for him.

"Two minutes left, Toretto." the guard announced.

"Thank you for your time." Jayzen said, rushing over to touch his arm sympathetically. She couldn't help but notice how built his arms were built.

"No problem. You can come back anytime." He said, stretching and getting up. His height towered over hers. "Hey, what is your major?" He asked, his curiosity suddenly urging him to ask.

"Journalism, why?" She asked, confused.

"For what it's worth, I think you'd make a great psychologist." He grinned, making her laugh.

"Thanks. For that, I might just have to come visit you again." She laughed. She started to walk out, but stopped to watch Dominic get handcuffed. Her palms were suddenly sweaty. She gulped as he was walked out past her and got up her nerve to ask one last question. "you sure it's cool if I come visit you again?" She asked, finally squeaking it out.

"Anytime you want, Doll. You know where to find me." And with that he was escorted out. He looked and talked like a true rebel.


	2. Chapter 2

"Thanks for picking me up." A gruff and unshaven Dominic Toretto threw his bag in the camero that Jayzen was driving.

"No problem." She smiled, almost triumphantly. It was funny how he had been so hard to crack to get him to talk to her and now here she was, a few months later, picking him up from prison. Her rock star sunglasses and her upswept blonde hair made her look much older than what she was really was and Dominic couldn't help but think how great she looked. Then he chided himself. He had promised himself no more relationships no matter what, he had learned his lesson.

"You know, I am so popular, I decided to be nice and let you be the lucky one to pick me up." He replied cockily, making her roll her eyes and shake her head. He even laughed at himself seeing as how he knew no one in this state, and the thought of anyone picking him up after what he had put his friends through was even more outlandish. That made him have a pang of homesickness and guilt. The combination of the two was not a good combination when alone, much less when they attacked a conscience together.

"I am sooo lucky." She shot back, making a sharp left turn to head out of the prison and down the long, dusty road that would eventually lead out to the barren interstate.

"Yeah, I know. That is what I said." Dominic leaned back in the bucket seat, his smile making her laugh.

"So, glad to be out or what?" She asked, taking the gravel road just like it was a highway, almost making him uncomfortable. He tried to relax and almost felt like he was a wimp. Him, king of the streets, scared of a little girl's driving.

"Yeah. I don't know why. Don't look like much is in this state but yeah." He replied, his eyes taking in the surrounding scenery.

"Yup, just us hicks out here, ya know." Jayzen mocked a hillbilly accent and kept a straight face, pretending to be offended at his last comment.

'That's not what I meant, and you know it." Dominic squinted, the sun beating down on his baldhead.

"Sure." She taunted, taking a turn so fast onto the interstate that the tires squealed. He missed that sound, the smell of the rubber from those nights they would race. He vowed to get back to California as fast as he could. He grunted to himself about the money situation and tried to focus on the situation at hand: this girl's driving. He might make it back to California. Then again, he thought, he may not.

"Oh hell." She hit the steering wheel as she hit the highway, noticing a cop car following her.

"Oh no. Take it easy. I am not going back." Dominic tried to be nonchalant and reach for his seatbelt, something he should have already had on with this blonde's driving.

"He is gonna pull me over." Jayzen said, her voice a note higher than her usual tone. She was trying to keep it together and not lose total control.

"Calm down. If you start flippin out, he'll know you are up to no good." Dominic advised. What was he saying? He wasn't doing anything bad. Then it dawned on him, it wouldn't matter if he was the one doing something bad. What if she was doing something bad? He suddenly felt sick to his stomach. He had a gut feeling something was up, especially the way she was driving and acting suspicious.

"Easy for you to say." She snapped.

"How so? If I get pulled over with you, an underaged minor, I likely go back to prison. Hell, I haven't even been out one full hour." Dominic sighed, watching the cop from the rearview mirror talk on his radio. "What trouble you in? You are up to something, right?" He asked, reading her look on her face.

"Don't act like you know me oh so well." She rolled her eyes, but now chewing on her lips.

"Fuck." Dominic hit the dashboard, knowing he should have just walked out on foot.

"I didn't say I was in trouble." She objected to his assumption.

"You didn't have to." He replied dryly. Next thing you knew, the cop had his lights on and the siren began to wail.

"I can't get pulled over. I won't get pulled over." Jayzen sat up in the seat, now looking determined.

"You are NOT out running this cop. That will just make it worse." Dominic objected as she stepped on the pedal and picked up speed.

"Watch me." She said, flooring it full force now.

"Oh hell." Dominic sank in the seat, dreading to imagine the outcome of this one.

"What happened to MR I rule the streets and I'm so tough tough guy?" Jayzen asked, her voice thoroughly irritated as she frowned, concentrating on staying on the road and ahead of the cop car.

"You don't know me enough to say that crap." Dominic grabbed the handle of the car.

"Well, your reputation says enough about you, I don't need to know you. You gonna help me drive or do I need to tell these cops you made me do this?" Jayzen growled as the cop closed in. She was nearing a dead end road and was becoming quite panicked.

"You better not. Let me out right now." Dominic rolled his eyes. "I have a hard time believing you would do that." He said, challenging her with a raised and inquisitive eyebrow.

"Try me." She shot back, still on the dead end road. She blew her hair out of her face and was wondering what the hell she was going to do now. The end was so close. "Ok, so I wouldn't. Please, you gotta be used to running from the cops. Please help me." She begged, slowing down.

"Don't slow down, be calm." Dominic ordered, his voice taking that authoritive voice that he often had when things were crazy nuts in California. He fought the inner voice that told him that voice was the one that got him and his friends in the biggest mishap of their lives.

"Easy for you to say." Jayzen said, pointing at the dead end she was about to come to.

"Okay, get to the end as fast as you can, and spin around. You have been driving a stick for a long time, right?" He asked, his confidence in her absent but he figured asking might give him a better sense of security.

"Yeah, like two weeks." She said, glancing in her mirror.

"Shit.' Dominic said, now panicked. "Floor it now and turn!" He yelled, grabbing onto the gear, moving her hand off the stick to shift.

"I'm trying!" She yelled, her feet not wanting to work with her brain.

"TRY HARDER." He yelled, this time not playing nice. It was do or die time for the two of them. He wasn't sure what kind of trouble she was in but he knew he wasn't going to go back to the penitentrly and that was that.

"Stop yelling." She said, her look of relief priceless as they made the turn and was leaving the cop in the dusty trail of her car.

"There. See what yelling does?" He asked, grinning as she took a side road and then another side road. It seemed like they had lost the cop. "That look was damned priceless. I coulda sold it on ebay." He chuckled.

"What look? What is so funny?" She asked, her blondeness coming out in her. The sun was setting and she was getting further into the woods and back roads. He hoped she knew where the hell she was going, for the both of their sake.

"That I'm scared shitless look. That look is the best out of all the girls I have taught to drive." He kept on grinning and being amused.

"I don't find it all funny." She growled defensively.

"I do." He countered. "Tell me you know where you are going." He said, not knowing if he wanted to hear her answer or not.

"I do, thank you very much." She huffed, pulling into a secluded area of the woods by a pond. It looked like a hideout that had been handmade, the leaves and trees that formed a tunnel over the car was too perfect, he noted.

"Good. I was getting kind of worried there. You being blonde and all. You know what they say about blondes." He kept up the teasing, ignoring her stare. He could feel her icy blue eyes drilling a hole through her sunglasses.

"Shut up. We almost get pulled over and you want to crack blonde jokes. What a tough guy you are." She spat.

"What, you can't handle a ticket or two? Why you running, anyway?" He asked, watching the sun start to set. It was just as beautiful as the sunset in California, he noted. It looked like there was a rain cloud headed their way and he breathed in the air. Not as nice as the air when it rained in California.

"Don't worry about it. And I don't think a stolen vehicle is just grounds for a ticket." She said, counting the seconds until he processed what she had just said.

"This car is stolen?" He sat up, his muscled torso tense now. "When I asked for a ride, you coulda told me no. I didn't need you to steal a car." He exploded, his voice booming.

"Get off your high horse. I didn't steal it for you, jackass." Jayzen replied defensively.

"What, is that all you Arizonians can do for a hobby?" he asked, knowing he was being a pure jackass now.

"Oh, you are just being stupid now." She laid her head back on the seat's headrest, suddenly feeling exhausted. She took off her sunglasses and rubbed her eyes.

"WHO THE HELL HIT YOU?" he asked so loudly it made her jump. She had forgotten that he was unclued as to the latest events in her life.

"Stop yelling at me.' She whimpered this time, holding her head. She turned her head towards the road, listening to a car coming down the road. She was holding her breath they didn't turn in to the area she was at.

"You gonna tell me since we are gonna be here for a while?" he asked, his voice quiet now, realizing he might have scared her.

"Nope. Not your business. There's some fried chicken I made in the picnic basket behind my seat. Take it and eat it. I figured you were probably hungry." She muttered, her embarrassment too much to confront right now.

"It is my business. I mean, we're fugitives together. You got my whole life history out of me. Why can't I have yours?" He asked, trying to make her smile.

"You don't need it." She replied simply as he worked on getting the picnic basket from the backseat. He took in a deep breath and felt like he was in heaven. 'You can cook? I might have to have you teach me." He said, opening it up and taking a drumstick.

"I can see that one. Big bad Chef Dominic. Bring your unruly poultry on down to Ze Chef Zominic and zwee can get them under control." She mocked an Italian accent and had to laugh. Even Dominic smiled at that one. That was a funny mental picture.

" I can see it. Can't you?" He asked playfully.

"Yup, a dirty white muscle shirt, a big butcher knife, a chef hat and a cigarette out of your mouth with your biceps flexed. I can so see it." She giggled.


	3. Chapter 3

"So, you gonna tell me who hit you?" Dominic raised an eyebrow as they made their way back to Jayzen's house.  
"It's not important. You ready for the 4th of July?" She asked, running her tongue over her teeth, hoping it would work to distract the burly ex jailbird.  
"I suppose. Tell me, Jayzen. It's not like you're droppin me off so I'm not gonna go away. I can play your game as long as you want." Dominic settled back in the bucket seat, enjoying the ride.  
"It was someone I was out racing with. It's no bid deal." She replied with an irritated sigh.  
"You guys race here in Arizona?" Dominic scoffed, getting an indigent look from the blonde in the driver's seat.  
"Yes, It's not like we're backwards." She rolled her eyes.  
"Almost. I guess you could classify this as desert." Dominic confessed. Jayzen tensed up, seeing a cop car behind her. "Keep your cool. They're probably just on a normal beat." Dominic advised, knowing they would be screwed if the cop picked up any suspiciousness.  
"Boy, a lil jail time and you know all the lingo." Jayzen teased with half of a smile.  
"Haha." Dominic retorted. Jayzen pulled up into a gravel driveway.  
"Wow. No one's home. What a shock." Jayzen hopped out, keys in hand. She leaned back in the car and reached to the back for her baby blue messenger bag. She flung it over her shoulder and traipsed up the four stairs leading to her white paint chipped two story house. "Make yourself at home." She called over her shoulder as she threw down her bag and threw off her laced up sandals.  
"Thanks. Nice place. You live here by yourself?" Dominic asked, stifling a yawn.  
"No. My brother and a few of his friends live with him and me. He's been outa town for a while tho." Jayzen lit a strawberry candle and flipped on the t.v. to a hockey game.  
"You like hockey?" Dominic tried to hide his shock.  
"Yeah, what's so wrong with hockey jailboy?" Jayzen asked, her legs folded underneath her in the oversized chair as she twirled her hair.  
"Jailboy?" Guess I can handle that name. I've been called worse." Dominic mused.  
"So, quit avoiding my question. What's wrong with hockey?" She asked, her arms folded.  
"Nothin. You are a firecracker." He laughed. They heard some distant popping of fireworks and then a car rumbled in the driveway. "Should I hide?" He asked, watching Jayzen spring out of her chair.  
'No, I'm a big girl and allowed to have company." She said, moving a stray wisp of blonde hair out of her face.  
"Just checkin." Dominic held up his hands innocently, shaking his head.  
"Hey Han." Jayzen jumped off the old cushy chair she had jumped on to look out of the window. Her brother's friend, Han Sung walked in, eating an apple.  
"Sup, Girl? Who's your friend?" The tall Korean gave Jayzen a nod as a girl walked in behind him. Jayzen's mouth about dropped at the sight of this racer chaser, a racer chaser seemed appropriate for this girl, Jayzen thought to herself. The girl looked svelte and had silver hair that was purple tipped on the ends. Her eyes were a bright greenish blue and her clothing…well, her clothing was that normal of a girl running in the racing scene. She just looked like a super model gone bad Jayzen decided with curiosity and apprehensiveness.  
'Can I talk to you?" Jayzen coughed, her eyes looking away as she had been caught by this 'racer chaser' sizing her up.  
"Sure, talk to me." Han said, sitting on the arm of a couch.  
"Excuse me, Dominic. I'll be right back." Jayzen said, pointing to the kitchen at Han.  
"No problem. Take your time." Dominic grinned, sitting back enjoying the show. He was glad to be the one on the outside and not caught up in the drama.  
"Car give you an ass whoopin or is that the new style of makeup?" Han asked, standing up against Jayzen, lifting her cheek up.  
"Shut up." She turned her face away, red from embarrassment. She had forgotten he hadn't seen it.  
"Good to know I got me some free time from the garage to go huntin." Han said, knowing she knew what he was talking about.  
"Just let it go, okay? It's no big." Jayzen got a Pepsi out of the fridge. "Who's the racer chaser you're datin this week?" She asked.  
"She's no racer chaser. She's my girl. I just didn't bring her down here until now, thank you. Her name is Aden. She might be able to help me babysit your ass and you might even learn a thing or two." He continued to eat his apple.  
"I don't need any babysitting. I was doin just fine. You guys can all go back to L.A." Jayzen retorted.  
"Nope, your bro can't, and Aden and I don't want to." Han shook his head, grinning at knowing he was annoying her.  
"Then quit treating me like a baby. That's a guy in there that needs a place to stay. Don't give him a hard time, ok? He just got out of jail." Jayzen looked past the swinging door at Dominic flipping through the channels. She didn't see Aden.  
"You tell me you're responsible and yet you got a black eye and you're talking to someone who's done time is sitting in our living room. You're blonder then I thought." Han rolled his eyes.  
"Blame it on my brother." Jayzen growled, irritated.  
"J, you can't blame it all on him." Han shook his head.  
"I'm giving credit where credit is due. So, why this girl? What's so special about her?" Jayzen asked, trying to switch the subject. She got out a glass of orange juice out of the fridge, turning around to see Aden.  
"Are you done talking about me?" Aden asked coolly, an eyebrow raised.  
"Yeah, I am." Jayzen held Aden's gaze as to not seem intimidated.  
"Good, Han I'll be upstairs." She put her arms around her boyfriend, kissed him, and then headed for the stairway that was just outside the kitchen. Pretty soon, the water from the shower started running.  
"Boy, she doesn't take long to make herself at home, now does she?" Jayzen asked bitterly. Han responded by ruffling her hair, making her punch him, although him knowing her too well, blocked it.  
"Listen, Kiddo, I'm going upstairs to do big boy things. Catch ya later." He grinned, winking at her.  
"Stupid guys." She grumbled, angrily getting out a snack tray and then getting Dominic another beer as she used her other hand to put snacks on the tray. "Having issues?" Dominic asked as he stole a snack before she could swat his hand away.  
"Just annoying friends. What ya watchin?" She asked, crossing her sock footed feet under her and plopping down on the couch. She had a look of amusement as she realized it was Chef Ramsey. Big burly man watching a cooking show cracked her up.  
"Cooking channel." Dominic grinned, glad to get a smile out of her. "He's cooking chicken, isn't that interesting?" He asked, making them both laugh. Jayzen leaned back on the oversized sofa beside him, closing her eyes and stretching.  
"Manly, I'm impressed." She teased.  
"I'm all about manly." he flexed his muscles.  
"uh huh." she said, her tone giving away her doubt.  
"So, where's your brother? Is he the one that gave you that black eye?" Dominic asked, regretting that question as soon as it left his mouth. He could feel her body tense up.  
"NO. I got it from my boyfriend. It was an accident." Jayzen inspected her nails after taking a cucumber off of the snack plate.  
"Sure it was. You know," Dominic paused to take a deep breath, "real men don't hit females." He said, watching her closely.  
"Like I said, it was an accident." Jayzen said, tucking her feet up under her after shifting how she was sitting.  
"Right and I'm not a street racer." Dominic shrugged.  
"That's gotta suck for you." Jayzen replied, her big eyes focused on the tv in front of her. "What do you know about street racing?" Dominic raised a skeptical eyebrow.  
"More than you think I know." She worked hard to keep from laughing.  
"Really?" Dominic sat forward, locking his eyes with hers. "And how is that?" He asked, scratching his chin.  
"My brother is a street racer. Always has been. I'd still be racing if I hadn't totaled my car." Jayzen grumbled, her cheeks flushed now as memories flashed through her head.  
"Oh, this sounds like a good story. Do tell." Dominic commanded, intrigued.  
"It's not a story I repeat. Sorry, shoulda been there when it happened." Jayzen said sarcastically, getting up to pace while she twirled the end of her hair out of nervousness.  
"Oh, I see. A sore spot. Gee, it's tough to talk about the past, isn't it?" Dominic ran his tongue over his teeth, loving how she was now in his shoes how he was the day she walked in asking questions and opening old wounds. Something Miss Congeniality didn't want to talk about. He wondered how he could get her to spill it.  
"You're not cute." She replied through gritted teeth, now annoyed.  
"Hmm, I'm hurt. I've always been told I was the cream of the crop. The king. This, of course, according to the ladies on the street." He smiled, pretending to fluff non-existing hair.  
"Conceited much?" Jayzen tried not to laugh but couldn't hold out.  
"Nah, I have learned to be modest in my old years." Dominic grinned, giving up the charade with a grin. The smile the two shared was broke by her cell phone ringing. "Hey Baby. You comin to the races tonight or next week?" Gio's French accent came through crisply on the other end.  
"Um, no, I don't think I am." She said, trying to franticly think of a good reason. Lying was not her strong talent.  
"Why not?" He asked, engines revving behind him.  
"You know how protective Han is…." She said, her voice low to keep Dominic from hearing her lie. "Yeah and I also know how good you are at defying him when you want to do something. You're clever enough to figure out how to get yourself here." Gio said, his tone so smooth. "I know, but.." She was interrupted.  
"Do I need to come over there?" Gio sounded irritated now. "No." Jayzen said, sounding shocked he would go that length, seeing as him and Han had issues with each other. The last time he had came over, Han had almost killed him with his bear hands.  
"Look, Babygirl, tonight's important. Please come. You're my cheerleader." Gio's pleading tone made shivers go up her back. She loved his accent and his voice. It was so hard to resist him.  
"Okay, give me twenty minutes and I'll be there." She sighed, mad at her weakness and his charm.  
"You got ten. I can't put off my race for twenty minutes. Time starts now." He said, hanging up. "Hey, I gotta go. I'll be back in a little bit. Make yourself at home." Jayzen told Dominic after running upstairs to changing into a strapless baby blue shimmering cami top and a black mini skirt. Her lace up wedge shoes tied off the outfit nicely. Dominic had a hard time not gawking at her. She really did look like a street racer dressed that way. Her eyes donned sparkle jewels and her long blonde hair rested in ringlets held up by a butterfly clip.  
"Okay, I hope you don't always leave strangers in your house like this." Dominic grumbled, not happy that she was leaving. He had a pretty good idea where she was rushing off to.  
"Nope. Not usually. I'm headed to the races for a bit and in case Han asks, I am going with some of my friends, not Gio." She smiled as she grabbed her keys. "Can I count on you to keep it quiet?" She asked, stopping at the door.  
"Would this Gio be the jerk he doesn't want you around? Cause I tend to agree with him on this one and I'm not going to lie for you just because you are giving me a place to stay." Dominic said, his amusement now about her audacity. He stood in front of the door she was trying to pass through with his arms folded.  
"No, it's not to meet him. One of my friends, as I said, but thank you for your concern." She said sarcastically, hating how he was acting. She couldn't stand authority and the last thing she needed right now was a confrontation.  
"Cute sarcasm. Gotta love it." Dominic replied. "I'm just thinking about this and how no one deserves to be hit." Dominic gently touched her cheek, running his hand over the under part of her blackened eye. He stroked her cheek for a second, and she turned away, her chin raised indignantly.  
"I gotta go." She whispered. "Make yourself at home." She walked out, not looking back. She didn't want to think about how her skin felt with his touch. It was almost as if lighting had struck her.

A/n: Thanks so much for the reviews. I am really sorry it has taken me this long to get the update up. I have been sick and working massive overtime at Dell. The reviews really make my day and I hope you guys can be patient between updates! Thanks and much love! Cheer 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4-The edge

"It's about time." Gio breathed an annoyed sigh as he put his arm around Jayzen protectively, as if to fend off the interested looks of the other racers hanging about.

"I got here as quick as I could, chill out." Jayzen replied, annoyed and just wanting to get him into his car and on with the race. She drew in a quick and shocked breath as he lifted up her chin rather forceful and catching her off guard.

"Don't tell me to chill out. You knew this was important to me." He growled, looking her in the eyes. She looked away, afraid he would be able to read her every thought. "Let's have a better attitude, okay baby girl?" He asked, pulling her closer and kissing her forehead.

"Are we ready to get this race started?" Gio's best friend, Garrett Walhmer, asked the crowd, getting a huge roar of applause. He put his beer can down and pointed to Gio. "Your King of the Streets is here and look, his queen showed up too." Garrett cracked his jokes, getting a drop dead look from Jayzen. The two of them didn't really get along all that well. He reminded her of a typical sidekick of the football star in a small town high school that liked to bully and party and cause trouble. She felt Gio nudge her side, and she stewed silently over him pretty much telling her with that nudge to straighten it up, people were watching her. He was all about his image.

"Jayzen, you counting us down tonight or do we need to have someone fill in for you?" Garrett asked, his eyes locking into hers.

"She's got it. No worries." Gio nodded, taking off his jacket. Jayzen gave him a sarcastic smile.

"Yup, Garratt, I got this. You can go back to drinking your beer." She smiled at him innocently, talking low under her breath.

"Keep it up, Blondie. There are many other girls dying to get with your boy." Garrett growled, smiling as he talked, knowing Gio could see the both of them.

"I'm shaking." She growled, grabbing the race flag from him. "Ready!!" She yelled, hearing the engines gun. "SET!!" She winked at Gio, her heart pumping from the adrenaline of the engines, the mood of the race and the atmosphere. "Go!!" She threw down the flag with such a vengeance the crowd bought it and was more pumped than usual.

"Hey Girl. How's that eye? Your brother home yet?" One of the guys in Gio's crew came up, snacking on a bag of chips.  
"It was an accident. And no, he's not home yet." She felt compelled to defend her boyfriend even to one of his boys.

"I know. Just giving you a hard time, girl." Graham nodded, going back to his bag of chips.

"Where's Misty?" She asked, speaking of Graham's girlfriend.

"She's out of town for a while." He nodded. Jayzen's cell phone started to flash, ringing to the tone of Sexy Back by Justin Timberlake.

"Hey, I have to go. I know Gio has at least two legs to go. Can you tell him I had to go? It's Han." She said, knowing not to mess around and make him call her real brother. That was a war she didn't want to start.

"Be prepared to deal with him, but yeah, I'll tell him." Graham promised, opening Jayzen's car door for her. Jayzen drove home, taking her time. The phone flashed at her again, and she reached over to turn it off, now annoyed by it.

"Nice of you to bless us with your presence." Han smirked, leaning on his car when she pulled up in the driveway.

"Your welcome." She shot back, ignoring his sarcasm.

"You know how I feel about you being out with him. What if I told your brother?" He asked, chewing on an apple

"God, do you ever stop eating?" She asked, rolling her eyes.

"Gotta keep in shape." Han shrugged, unphased by her remarks.

"Were you nice to Dominic?" She asked, her eyebrow raised skeptically.

"He's been asleep almost since you left. He was out when I sent my girl to go get some food." Han said, opening the porch door for his adopted little sister.

"Good. I'm tired, I'm going to bed." She said, exhausted from the night's events and all the mental stress.

"Yeah, you should be. All that gallivanting you do." Han remarked with a smile, knowing he was being annoying. That was his job, the way he saw it. He watched Jayzen climb the stairs, her legs seeming like they 

weighed like bricks. She was looking a bit older than her years, he mused, as the events of the past but fairly recent events replaying in his head.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Jayzen drifted off to sleep, watching the stars twinkle above her head in the room her brother had worked so hard to please her with. He had worked hard putting himself through school and raising her since their parents had been killed by a drug lord. Since the justice system had let their killers go without punishment, Brian had vowed to become part of the police force to try to change the system. He had bought this house shortly after their death and made major and minor changes to it. Jayzen being a sullen, angry, scared teenager at the time of her parent's death, he had wanted to give her anything, even if that meant the world. At the time he has asked her what kind of room she had wanted, she smartly replied a room she could see the sky, partly to be difficult and partly meaning it. Never had she dreamed he would actually make her room the exact way she wanted it, but he had. She missed him so much. She had begged to be able to go to LA with him and teared up at the thought of the day he left her in Han's care. She loved Han, he had been around ever since her family had moved here but he wasn't the same as Brian in any way, shape, or form. She jolted awake at her annoying cell phone ringing yet again. She read the number flashing at her, thought it was fuzzy from her eyes still be half closed.

"I'm sorry I had to leave." She mumbled, knowing Gio was going to be pissed at her.

"Jay, it's Garrett." Garrett's deep voice came over the phone.

"Why you calling from Gio's phone?" She asked, sitting up, starting to wake up.

"Jayzen, I have to talk to you. It's important. It's not good." Garrett started.

"Tell me, Now. What is it" She asked, feeling dread in the bottom of her stomach. She drew her knees up to her stomach and took in a deep breath, fighting off the panic attack that was about to happen. She hated to be anxious.

"Gio died. He crashed on the last leg. He started racing again after you left and he crashed on the last leg. He's gone, Jayzen." Garrett's voice was husky and full of emotion. Jayzen felt dizzy all of a sudden and flashbacks of the night in the hospital when she was given the news of her parents death.

"No. no. no" She took in a gasping breath, not able to move. Her heart pumped, her palms were sweaty, and she fell on her bed backwards, ready to scream. The phone fell off the bed and onto the floor, leaving Garrett still talking on the other end. Jayzen's head raced as she tried to figure out what it was she needed to do. She leaned down, still stunned, and picked up the phone. "Where is he at? The hospital?" She asked, her eyes wide.

"His family is at the hospital. Are you sure you are hearing me? He's fucking dead, Jayzen. D-E-A-D. What good would going to the hospital do?" Garrett asked, shouting into the phone. Jayzen hung up the phone and threw on some clothes, still feeling numb.

"Where you going?" Dominic asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Just go back to sleep." She said, heading out the door, the door slamming. She fished for her keys from her pocket. She jetted back inside and took Han's keys from the key rack by the door and jetted back out. She started the car in a haste and backed out without the lights on. She waited until she hit the road and then she turned on the lights and gunned the engine. Pretty soon, she was cruising at full speed down the gravel highway to the small town city hospital. She barely put the car into park as she jumped out to rush inside to the emergency room. "Is he okay?" She rushed to his mother's side. His whole family was there and she was too out of it to realize they were all staring at her as though she was intruding on their private moment.

"Get her out of here." The mother said, her hands shaking. Jayzen looked at her and turned an even whiter sheet of white.

"I wasn't with him…I …I didn't cause it. I didn't do it. Just tell me he's not dead!" Jayzen said, her left over mascara running down her cheeks as one of Gio's brothers pulled her away from the family as the mom was led to a chair. Jayzen couldn't understand why they weren't allowing her to be there, she hadn't done anything and she was practically already adopted into their family.

"You …Bitch! You got him killed!" The sister charged at her, swearing in French.

"What are you talking about? He's not dead, please tell me he's not dead." Jayzen dropped to her knees, feeling pretty dizzy at the moment.

"YOU did it, Jayzen. Get out of here." His brother said, pulling her up from underneath her arms from behind. He helped her to stand hastily and led her outside.

"You are wrong about that, so wrong." Jayzen shook her head, wiping her eyes, and trying to stand up on her own. "I was at home sleeping. I didn't do it." She wailed, her voice breaking again like her heart felt like it was doing at the moment.

"He got his ass kicked because of you. All because you ran home to your little crew and told them what he did and yes, you did get him killed." The brother said angrily, his vein busting out the side of his head. He was shaking with anger.

"I didn't tell anyone _anything_." Jayzen continued to wail, still holding onto Gio's brother, as if begging him not to go inside. It felt like that would be the final judgment of her really having killed her own boyfriend if he went inside. "Please, please don't go in there. Please. Tell me what happened. I at least deserve to know what happened." She wept, pulling at his arm with panic.

"He got his ass beat because you went and told what he did to you and that he beat you up and he went and got drunk after that because of YOU and what you did and he crashed into a wall doing over a hundred and ten. He never had a chance, Jayzen. NEVER had a fucking chance. I hope you are happy with your life and yourself because if you would have just kept your mouth shut, this would have never happened. Get the fuck off me and get the hell out of here before I do something _I'll_ regret." His brother warned, throwing her into the grass as he tried to shake off her grip. All he wanted to do was be with his family and she was keeping him from doing just that. Jayzen got up and stumbled numbly backwards, trying to gain her footing just like a deer would do after just being born. She took a few gasps of air and felt like she wanted to lie down and die. She wasn't even sure how she made it to the car. She sat there and put her head on the wheel, sobbing until her rib cage felt as though she couldn't take another breath. She continued to sob for another hour or so and started the call, ignoring her cell phone that had been ringing like crazy.

"Hello." She said, finally picking up the phone, not really even registering that she was pulling out of the hospital's emergency parking lot.

"You okay?" Han asked, his voice full of concern. Obviously Dominic had been concerned enough about her to wake him up and after finally getting a hold of her, relief could be heard in his voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just went to see Gio." She said, her voice an eerie calm. She was not aware of how she had quit crying hysterically or how she had managed to sound so calm, she was just thankful she _was_ calm at the moment.

"Forget seeing that punk, I want your ass home right now. DO YOU HEAR ME?" Han asked, raising his voice as he looked outside to notice his car was missing in action.

"I have to go." Jayzen said numbly, her fingers somehow reaching the phone to turn it off. She put both hands back on the wheel to steer but her mind wandered. How was it that anyone had known? Han wouldn't have had enough time to go beat up Gio, Dominic wouldn't have known who he was, and Brian was still in jail. And how many times had she begged Gio not to drink and drive, much less race and drive. His brother's voice kept replaying in her head.

"_Yes, you did kill him."_

"_Yes, you did kill him."_

"_Yes, you did kill him." _

Big tears streamed down her face yet again and she fought to breathe. This wasn't the first car racing accident she had lived through. But it would be her last, she thought loosely. She took a deep breath, her chest feeling like it had two thousand bricks sitting on it. She fought the dizziness that was coming back and she flashbacked to her in the hospital of when Brian had broke the news to her about her parent's being killed.

"_What do you mean they didn't make it, Brian?" She asked, still sitting in the hospital waiting room._

"_I mean they are dead, J. They didn't make it. Dad's heart quit during surgery. The doctor's tried everything." Brian looked at her with his piercing blue eyes, tears rolling down them as he grabbed her and held her close as she began to sob. _

"_You're lying! You're just messing with me again! Stop it!" She yelled, punching him as hard as she could, screaming. _

"_I wish I was, J. I wish I was." Brian said, taken aback by her reaction. The two were so close and she had never acted like this to him. He was 21, she was 14. She felt the familiar chest pain come back to her and she flailed her arms, wanting to get away from Brian as fast as she could. She would never forgive him for playing such a cruel joke on her like this again. It couldn't be true, it wasn't true. Her parents wouldn't leave her like this. _

"_She's in denial. This is normal, Mr. O'Connor." The doctor put a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. "In situations like this, and especially in your case, I recommend that you let her see them. Otherwise, she will never believe you or trust you." She could overhear the doctor saying as she stared out the hospital window, her arms hugging her own waist. She fought to control her shaking but she wasn't doing such a good job at it. She would make sure to tell her mom just how bad of a joke Brian was pulling on her. She would get him in all kinds of trouble. _

"_Won't that be traumatic for her?" Brian's voice cracked as he wiped his tears and stared at his sister._

"_It is traumatic no matter how you look at it but I do feel like she needs to see them. It's one way I can feel better about her going with you and believing you and what you are telling her. It is going to be a long road with her if you really are planning to try to get custody of her." The doctor advised._

"_I guess I can see your point. Let me talk to her for just a moment." Brian sighed, not sure what to do at this point. He was torn. He himself didn't want to see their dead parents but a part of him wanted to see them too. He wanted to make sure this wasn't a bad dream like he was hoping it would be. He walked over to his sister and put his arms around her from behind. "We can get through this together, Sis." He said, holding her head to his chest as his body racked with sobs. He fought to hold them in for her sake._

"_I hate you for saying those awful things! I hate you!" She tried to pull away, gasping for air. She felt like she couldn't breathe anymore. He was taking her very breath from her. He couldn't do this to his own sister, how could he? _

"_Just come with me and I'll show you." He said, now knowing he had to prove it to her. He pulled her towards the door to follow the doctor. She drug her feet, fighting him all the way to the door. The doctor led them to an elevator and down they went to the basement. In the door marked "Morgue", the doctor swiped the badge._

"_Tell me I'm on TV, tell me you're joking!" Jayzen screeched as she read the sign through her tears and fought to get loose of his grip. "Please, pppppleassse." She wailed, her voice going deep from desperation. _

"_I wish I could, I wish I could. This is the only way." Brian said, getting a better grip on her and leading her into the eerie stone cold room that was laced with silence and heaviness in the air. They were led over to a table where his mother lay, she was covered up to her neck. Brian assumed that was because of all the stab wounds the intruder that had broken into their house had given her. _

"_NO! NO! NO!" Jayzen dropped to her knees, feeling like she was going to pass out. She struggled to talk much less move. She got up like some wild animal that had just been hit by a car, trying to get up any way she knew how and looked at her mom. She stared at her in silence, not wanting to believe this was her mom in front of her. She was so pale and drained of her normal color. She looked peaceful but that didn't give Jayzen any peace. She stood at her mother's side. "Please, Mommy, talk to me. Anything. Please, please." She tried to shake her mom, withdrawing at how cold she felt. She drew her hand back as though she had been shocked by an electric fence. Brian winced and looked down, hating that his sister was having to go through this. He was at a loss for words and felt like a horrible big brother. He was at a loss as what to do to help her. He couldn't help himself, much less her at the moment he thought with severe frustration. "She won't talk to me, Brian."Jayzen wailed, her voice deep and sounding like she was about to die. It was like a horrible moan and Brian swore he would never get that sound out of his head again."Why won't she talk to me?" She asked, breaking into sobs and falling down to her knees again. That was the last she remembered. The doctor had injected her with a needle and the next time she woke up was to Brian standing over her in the hospital bed as though it had all been a bad dream. _

Lights flashing and the sound of a horn passing her by brought her out of the replaying of her memory. She saw more headlights and realized she was on the wrong side of the road. One second more and all she heard was the sound of metal screeching and smelt rubber burning. Then it all went black.


End file.
